Pokemon Rescue Force!
by IcySapphire
Summary: Join Pikachu and the gang as they travel around Kanto, helping people and Pokemon in need...
1. Chapter 1

Pokemon Rescue Force

Mission 1: Mystery of the Disappearing Pokemon! (part 1)

_"Beautifly...Beautifly...Beautifly..."_ chirped a Beautifly alarm clock, whose face read 8:00 AM. The clock's silent eyes watched as the room's occupant, a Pikachu, threw off its blanket, stormed over to the dresser, and hit the "ALARM OFF" button by the clock's right wing before stretching its arms. _I'm awake, already..._ he thought as he shot an annoyed glance at the now silent alarm clock. He was about to go back to sleep when a familiar cry jolted him awake: "Ring Ring! Rescue Force!"

"Good morning, Pokemon Rescue Force..." came a familiar male voice, a voice that Pikachu recognized as his master: Ash. Interested in this potential new mission, he hurried out of his room, down the stairs, past the kitchen and the living room, and into an office, where he saw the image of Officer Jenny blip onto the videophone screen.

"Hi Ash..." Officer Jenny began. "We've been having a rash of Pokemon disappearances as of late, and we don't know who is doing it or where the Pokemon are being taken. If you could remain on alert for suspicious activity, I'd appriciate it."

"We'll keep watch, okay?" Ash assured Officer Jenny before the screen blipped off.

"Aw..." Pikachu sighed as he climbed off Ash's desk. "I was hoping we'd have a new mission or something..." He took a moment to look around at all the newspaper clippings detailing past missions that decorated Ash's office. It had been three months since the Rescue Force's last mission, so any phone call meant a potential mission.

"Hey, Pikachu..." a voice whispered. Pikachu whirled around to see Treecko in the doorway. "Who was on da phone?"

"That was Officer Jenny..." Ash explained. "She wants us to help her solve a Pokemon disappearing spree, so we're on alert for such activity for now. No mission."

"Come on..." Treecko led Pikachu into the living room, where the some of the other Rescue Force team members; Torchic and Mudkip, were gathered around a card table. Chips of various denominations were scattered about the room, signaling that a game of Hi/Low Stud poker was about to begin. "Let's play a few hands while we wait for a mission."

"You got it!" Pikachu smiled as he settled in a chair between Torchic and Mudkip before counting out five 1000 credit chips for himself. Playing cards was one of the Rescue Force's favorite pastimes when they were not on a mission...Treecko was good at every game, so he dealt rather than played in order to give the other Force members a chance of winning.

"We all know da rules, right?" Treecko asked as he shuffled the cards. "Best of ten wins a match, six in a row pays six to one, Silver cards pay double, and Gold cards pay four times as much." Affirmative nods came from the three players. "All right, we'll begin." With that, he dealt a 3 of clubs for himself before passing three other cards face down to the others.

Mudkip looked at her card: a Queen of spades. "I'll call lower." she began. Treecko nodded and dealt Mudkip her next card, a 9 of clubs. "Lower." she called again, sending a 5 of clubs to her hand. "Higher." She gasped when she saw a 2 of spades enter her hand. "Rats..."

"Mudkip goes bust! Play passes to Pikachu." Treecko reported. Mudkip sighed as she watched the others. Hi/Low stud was her best game, but she had been on a losing streak lately.

Pikachu, meanwhile, studied his card: a 10 of clubs. "Lower." he called. A 3 of hearts was dealt to him. "Higher." He groaned as another 3 landed in his hand.

"Pikachu goes bust!" Play passes to Torchic." Torchic nibbled on some bread as Treecko readied the deck again.

"Lower." Torchic called, but sighed as a 9 of spades appeared in her hand. "Aw, man..."

"Since all three players are bust, I will stand without calling." Treecko announced as he cleared the cards in preparation for the next hand.

"Some hand that was..." Torchic sighed as she received her card for the next hand.

"I know..." Pikachu agreed. "I really need a Shiny card this time..."

"Begin hand 2..." Treecko reported.

Mudkip made a face when she saw her card...both she and Treecko had 10s. "I stand without calling." she replied.

"All right, play now passes to Pikachu." Treecko called.

Pikachu smiled when he saw the 3 of hearts in his hand. "Higher." Next came a 4 of hearts. "Higher." A King of hearts appeared. "Lower." He smiled as a Queen of clubs appeared in his hand. "Lower." He winced when a 10 of clubs appeared in his play area. "Stand."

"Pikachu stands at four calls." Treecko continued. "Play passes to Torchic."

"I got a 3 too!" Torchic cried when she saw her card. She started calling in rapid succession. "Higher...Lower...Stand."

"Torchic stands at two calls." Treecko reported. "Now...I call...Lower." He winced as he drew an Ace. "Bust...you guys win three to two."

"YAAAAYYY!" Pikachu led the cheers as he, Torchic and Mudkip collected the pot, but the celebrations were cut short by a bell ringing. Red lights flashed through the whole base as a siren begin wailing. The pandemonium meant one thing: a mission!

With that, the four members of the Pokemon Rescue Force raced to the entrance of the base and climbed aboard Swellow, the fifth member of the Force, and the transport for the others. Ash also waited nearby, ready to give Swellow the flight plan.

"Where to?" Swellow asked.

"The call came from this house right over here..." Ash explained, showing Swellow the house he had marked on his map of Pallet Town. "Officer Jenny's waiting for you there. As for the rest of you...qestion the local Pokemon and relay any info you find to me."

"Will do, Ash!" Treecko smiled as he pinned on his Rescue Force badge: a red and blue Poke Ball with a yellow lightning bolt on top of it and the letters R and F on the sides of the lightning bolt. Everyone else did the same. "Ready guys?" The others cheered in agreement.

"Pokemon Rescue Force, away!" Pikachu called as Swellow disappered up the tunnel that lead out of the base...

---------

Officer Jenny smiled as Swellow and the Force arrived at the house. "Thank you guys so much for answering my call...another Pokenapping occured here!"

"So we see..." Pikachu replied as he climbed off of Swellow and glanced around the house, where an entire army of officers was scouring the yard and the house for any sort of a clue. He motioned to the others. "Okay! Treecko and Torchic, go ask the resident Pokemon if they have any good information about what happened. Mudkip and I will look around the house for any clues."

"We'll get on it!" With that, Treecko hurried up a tree and started questioning a Pidgey, and Torchic began quizzing a passing Weedle in the grass. Pikachu and Mudkip started around the house...judging from how messy some of the rooms were, the kidnapped Pokemon had put up quite a struggle with its assailant.

_Several hours later..._

Mudkip sighed as she and Pikachu made another lap around the house. "You sure there's any clues here? We've been around the house three times already..."

Pikachu was about to answer when he heard a familiar beeping: his communicator! "This is Topaz." he started.

"This is Emerald..." Treecko replied. "I've finished questioning da Pidgeys here...they say the kidnapped Pokemon was a baby Persian named Serena."

"Okay, anything else?" Pikachu asked.

"They also said to check around the window of the girl's room...Some Caterpies told me they saw a giant figure try and get in the window." Treecko replied. "Emerald out."

"Topaz out."

"What did Treecko say?" Mudkip was curious.

"Head over to the window of the girl's room...there's a clue there!" Pikachu explained. With that, the two Pokemon hurried back around the house, until they saw one window with huge scrapes in the wood. To make matters even more interesting, there were giant holes in the grass that vaguely resembled pawprints.

"Oh my..." Mudkip was impressed by the size of the holes and scrapes. "I'm going to take pictures of these and relay them to Ash!" With that, she retrieved a small camera from her bag and snapped several photos of the clues they found...just as her communicator went off! "This is Sapphire..." she explained as she snapped another picture of the scrapes on the window.

"This is Ruby..." Torchic begin. "Hurry with what you're doing, we're headed home."

"On my way...Sapphire out." Mudkip replied. With that, she returned the camera to the bag and raced to join the others...

---------

_Back at the base..._

"Hmmm..." Ash mused as he studied Mudkip's pictures. "About these scrapes on the girl's window...they look like claws to me."

"Claws?" Everyone was confused.

"Yes...and no Pokemon I know of has claws that would make scrapes like these." Ash explained. "As for the pawprint like tracks..." he continued, bringing up the picture of the tracks. "they resemble an Arcanine's tracks. But, what would Arcanines be doing here?"

"Beats me..." Treecko sighed. Torchic nodded in agreement.

"I do have one tip for you..." Ash interjected. "I remember seeing tracks like this in some alleyways in town...if you could find some of those and let me compare them, we'll have some idea of what is taking the Pokemon."

"We're on it!" Pikachu called as he led the others out.

_An hour or so later..._

"Here's da plan..." Treecko began as the Rescue Force gathered at an entrance to an alleyway. "Pikachu will follow these prints here..." he explained, gesturing to some prints on the ground. "and tell us where they go...while Mudkip tracks him with da radar."

"You ready, Pikachu?" Torchic asked as she hung a whistle around Pikachu's neck.

"As I'll ever be..." Pikachu stammered as Mudkip buried a radar tracker in his fur.

"If you need us, just whistle!" Mudkip assured Pikachu as he scurried off into the dark alley...

---------

Torchic slumped against a lampost, obvously bored. "Any word on Pikachu yet?"

Mudkip was about to answer when she heard a whistle in the distance. "Pikachu! Come on!" With that, she led the others through the maze of corridors until they came to a corridor with a dead end, where Pikachu was cornered by a giant robot Arcanine. It growled as it approached Pikachu...

_To Be Continued..._


	2. Chapter 2

Mission 1: Mystery of the Disappearing Pokemon! (part 2)

Pikachu's heart raced as he desprately looked for an escape route. _Blocked on all sides...how am I going to escape?_ He backed away as the Arcanine robot lunged forward to grab him, but all of a sudden...

"FLAME STRIKE!" The Arcanine turned to look in the direction of the cry, only to be engulfed in Torchic's attack! It howled in pain as Pikachu ran to join the others.

"Nice shot, Torchic!" Pikachu smiled as he ducked into the alcove where the others were hiding and reached for his communicator. "Topaz calling Master Jewel, do you read me?"

"I read you loud and clear, Topaz." came the reply as the image of Ash in his office appeared on the tiny screen. "What's going on?"

"I narrowly escaped being eaten by a robot Arcanine!" Pikachu explained. "I was following the tracks in the alleyway, like you said; when the robot Arcanine jumped me! I ran as fast as I could, but it soon had me cornered!"

"And then?" Ash was interested.

"Before it could eat me, Torchic attacked it, causing it to short circuit and collapse." Pikachu concluded, gesturing to the burning remains of the Arcanine robot located a few feet away.

"Interesting...I'll have to tell Officer Jenny about this." Ash replied has he threw on his headset. "Stand by, Topaz." With that, the words "PLEASE STAND BY" appeared on the communicator screen.

"Say..." Mudkip started as she hurried over to the robot's remains. "Maybe if I put the flames out and rework this guys controls, maybe we can ride inside it! That way, we'll know just where these robots come from, what they do, who made them, and things like that!"

"It's worth a shot..." Treecko started, but was interrupted by Pikachu's communicator. "You still there, Topaz?"

"Topaz here." Pikachu replied.

"All right...what's your next plan?" Ash asked. "I've told Officer Jenny about the robots..."

"Well...the one Torchic attacked...we're going to try and salvage it; then ride it to wherever it came from...maybe we can figure out if it'll take us where Serena and the other missing Pokemon are being held." Pikachu explained.

"It's worth a try..." Ash smiled. "Good luck, Rescue Force...I've got Swellow on standby if you need help."

"Topaz out." With that, the communicator blipped to black.

Treecko and Mudkip looked at each other. "Well, no sense in standing here...let's get to work!" "With that, he fished out a blank blueprint and started drawing a rough model of the robot.

"I'm on it!" and Mudkip fired a stream of water at the flaming remains. "HYDRO BLAST!" The flames hissed as they died down, allowing the charred metal to cool off. Treecko, manwhile, gathered up his blueprint and toolbox, then ran to join Mudkip in tinkering with the smoking remains.

_Several hours later..._

"Okay...take a look!" Treecko smiled as he unveiled the newly repaired Arcanine robot. For the most part, it looked brand new, save for a few obvious vines and water stains that could only be seen in bright light.

"Wow..." Torchic was impressed. Pikachu nodded in agreement as he led the others aboard the robot. Once everyone was comfortable, Treecko hit a button marked 'HOME', causing the Arcanine to lumber off towards an omnious looking dome overlooking Pallet Town.

---------

"Are we there yet?" Torchic asked as the robot approached a pathway leading up to the dome.

"We're getting close." Treecko assured his comrades. "I can see an entrance up ahead, and two more Arcanines are there." With that, he proceeded to follow the other Arcanines inside the dome.

Pikachu's ears pricked up at various sounds in the room that vaguely sounded like calls for help. "Odd...do you guys hear calls for help in here?"

"I think we've stopped, so let's take a look." With that, Torchic eased open the escape hatch...and the Rescue Force gasped at what they saw.

The entire room was lined with cages containing Pokemon, with some cages containing two or three Pokemon at a time. The only other object in the room was an omnious looking robot with at least eight claws.

"What is this place?" Torchic stammered, apparntly afraid of the clawed robot.

"A nightmare, that's what!" Treecko shivered as he glanced around at all the caged Pokemon crying for help.

"Help!" a Rattata called as it clawed at the cage bars.

"Someone help us!" a Chikorita begged. The Cyndaquil nearby puffed out a smoky "SOS" with its quills.

"Quiet down in there!" a male voice barked, startling the Rescue Force! Treecko quickly opened the back escape hatch, shepherding the others into a storage closet as two shadowy figures approached.

"That was close!" Pikachu gasped as Mudkip closed the door behind them.

"I'll say...maybe I can get my communicator to show what's going on outside." Treecko suggested. The others watched as Treecko tinkered with a small camera mounted on his communicator. After a few minutes, an image of the room blipped on the screen, where the others could see a male Rocket grunt wearing a hat and a blonde haired female grunt walking to meet the Arcanines.

"Okay, guys...line up!" the male grunt commanded. The three Arcanines obediently lined up in a row.

"All right, my puppies...cuve!" the female grunt ordered. The Arcanines opened their mouths, including the one the Rescue Force had tinkered with. The male grunt calmly reached for what looked like a small cell phone and pressed a button, causing the clawed robot to come alive!

"What's it doing?" Mudkip asked. She suddenly gasped as the claws retrieved an Espeon from the first Arcanine and a Squirtle and Pichu from the second. All three Pokemon were then thrown into three spare cages.

"Well done, ARCA 01 and 02..." the male grunt smiled as he petted the two Arcanines that had brought a Pokemon.

"What about ARCA 03?" the female grunt asked. At that second, the connection began to break up.

"So that's who's doing it...Team Rocket..." Pikachu gasped.

"I'll notify Ash!" Torchic volunteered. She quickly switched on her comunicator. "Ruby calling Master Jewel..."

"I read you, Ruby..." Ash replied. "Any news?"

"We have appeared to have arrived at a Rocket base." Torchic explained. "The Arcanine robots take the Pokemon here, then cage them up!" She took the shocked look on Ash's face as the sign to continue. "Our next objective: find Serena and rescue her!"

"Okay, good luck and be careful!" Ash replied, then the communicator switched off.

"Speaking of Serena...I think I've found her location in this room..." Treecko mused as he showed the others a map of the room, which also had an arrow pointing out Serena's location.

"Left side, second row, fourth cage over...got it!" With that, Pikachu peeked outside...the Rockets had gone, so he motioned for the others to follow him. After some climbing, they made their way over to the fourth cage over, where a tiny Persian wearing a magenta bow with the name "Serena" written in gold writing lay, asleep.

"Hey..." Treecko rattled the cage bars in an attempt to get the baby Persian to awaken. "Wake up!"

"Mrrggh...who are you guys?" Serena groggily yawned as she woke up.

"We are the Pokemon Rescue Force!" Pikachu replied, flashing a Rescue Force badge for emphasis. "We came to rescue you!"

"Rescue me? That's great news!" Serena cried, elated that someone had come to rescue her. "But...how are you guys going to get me out of here?"

"Easy! FLAME STRIKE!" Serena jumped to the back of the cage as Torchic fired an ember or two at the cage bars, creating a large enough opening for Serena to fit. After a quick jump to the floor, the Force led Serena back to the closet they had hidden in earlier.

"Now, we'll call Ash and let him know you're okay..." Treecko began as he switched his communicator on. "Emerald calling Master Jewel..."

"Master Jewel here...any news?" Ash asked.

"We've sucessfully found and rescued Serena." Treecko began. "We're coming home soon..."

"NO!" Torchic interruppted, startling Treecko. "We're not leaving until ALL these Pokemon are freed...Ho'oh only knows what Team Rocket has in store for them!"

"Torchic's right, Emerald..." Ash began as he brought up an information log. "I've tapped into some of the computers at your location...the Rockets are using the claw robot to drain the Pokemon's power, using that power to power up a laser beam! If you guys don't hurry, Pallet will be wiped off the map!" Everyone gasped at this.

'Is there anything we can do?" Treecko asked, a note of worry in his voice.

"There's still some hope..." Ash assured Treecko. "If you guys can find the master controls somewhere in here, shut them all off, drain the laser's power, and free the Pokemon, we can save the city. The only catch is: You have six hours to do this..." At this, a six hour clock appeared on Treecko's communicator as the image of Ash faded, which began ticking away...

_To Be Continued..._

_Six hours remain..._


	3. Chapter 3

Mission 1: "Mystery of the Disappearing Pokemon!" (part 3)

_Six hours remain..._

Torchic swallowed hard as the timer on Treecko's communcator bagan to tick away. "Six hours... Six hours to save the city..."

"We won't get anything done if we just sit here and brood about how much time we have!" Treecko snapped. "So, Rescue Force, huddle!" The others and Serena huddled together for a few tense minutes, discussing ideas.

_Five hours and fifty minutes remain..._

"Okay, here's da plan..." Treecko began as he started a simulation of his proposed plan. "In a few minutes, the two grunts will come in here and release all the Pokemon. They'll put them in the power generator at the claw robot's base, where their power will go towards powering up the laser. At that time, Pikachu will shock the generator's controls, disrupting the powerup sequence, thereby draining any power that's already there."

"Right!" Pikachu replied."

"Once the controls are shocked, I'll bind up the two grunts and disable all communications...this way, they can't call for help." Treecko continued...

"What about me?" Serena interjected. "What can I do?"

"Hmm..." Treecko thought...he hadn't counted on Serena asking for a part in the plan. "You can distract the grunts enough for me to bind them up."

"Okay!" Serena replied. "I'll pay them back really well for kidnapping me!" She flexed her claws for emphasis.

"Anyway..." Treecko continued. "With the guards bound up, Mudkip will disable security and any manual overides for what we've disabled so far...then she and Torchic will lead the captured Pokemon to safety. Any questions about what you guys are supposed to do?"

No one said a single thing.

"All right...Rescue Force, move out!" With that, Pikachu ducked into a corner nearby the generator controls, Serena and Treecko ducked into another corner at the entrance of the room, Torchic flitted over to a corner by the generator's escape hatch, and Mudkip squeezed into a corner by the security controls, waiting for the Rockets to arrive.

_Five hours and twenty minutes remain..._

"All right..." the female grunt began as she entered the room. "Are we ready to release the Pokemon into the generator?"

"I'll do it." the male grunt repled as he reached for the robot's controls and pressed a button, paying no heed to the Pikachu hiding by his chair. All the Pokemon screamed and tried to flee the robotic claws as one by one, they were all dropped into a bowl-like structure at the robot's base. Once inside, they all began glowing blue as their energy flowed out of them, making a red indicator on the generator's side rise. Suddenly...

"THUNDER BLAZE!" The male grunt watched, surprised, as a wave of thunderbolts surged over the controls, disabling them! Pikachu hurried away as the male grunt tried to resuscutate the damaged controls. At the same time, the red indicator on the generator's side began dropping as the Pokemon's life energy began returning to them.

"What's wrong?" the female grunt asked as her comrade tried again and again to restart the shocked controls, but to no avail.

"The amount of Pokemon we had in there overloaded the generator controls, I think..." the male grunt replied as he kept trying unsuccessfully to restart the generator.

_That's what you think..._ Pikachu snickered as he motioned for Serena to attack. Serena nodded, quietly crept up to the bickering Rockets, and sprung onto the female grunt's back!

"YEEEEOWW!" the female grunt screamed as she fought to get the attacking Serena off of her. The male grunt rushed to help, but was soon caught up in the attack as well!

"ENERGY VINE!" Treecko called as he wrapped the two struggling grunts up in a glowing vine. Once he had throughly tied the grunts up, Serena leapt to the floor, her part complete.

_Two hours and ten minutes remain..._

"Come on! The other controls have to be around here someplace!" Torchic cried as she and Mudkip fumbled around, desperately looking for the controls they needed to disable.

"Wonder what this does?" and Mudkip hit a blue button...

"Communications disabled." came a robotic voice. The two Rockets groaned at this--NOW how were they going to call for help?

"Manual overrides disabled." Torchic had luckily found the correct button on one try! With that, she flitted over to the generator's escape hatch, where the others were waiting.

_Now to disable everything else!_ Mudkip smiled as she began hitting random buttons...

"Security disabled." With that, the generator escape hatch opened...

"Robotics disabled." Mudkip watched as the claw robot, not to mention the robotic Arcanines, all shut down. Her job completed, she ran to join the others, where the captive Pokemon were all anxiously awaiting the cue to escape.

"Come on!" Torchic called as she started down the hatch. "Follow me!"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!" the freed Pokemon cheered as they followed the Rescue Force and Serena out of the dome and into the night, just as Officer Jenny arrived to arrest the two grunts...

_Success!_

The next morning, all of Pallet Town turned out at the town square to watch the Rescue Force receive their latest award. In addition to all the newspapers and radio stations, the news crews of KNTO, WJTO, PNN, and WHON were all present for the ceremony.

Torchic smiled as she followed Ash and the others onto the platform in the center of the square. "Isn't this exciting?" she asked Treecko.

"This is da reason that makes me proud to be on the Rescue Force." Treecko smiled. "I like savin' da world from cronies like the Rockets, especially when everyone throws a party like this afterward!"

"Okay guys...Officer Jenny's ascending the platform, so keep quiet while she's talking." Ash shushed as Officer Jenny stepped to the microphone to address the crowd.

"People of Pallet! As you're all well aware, our great town was on the brink of extinction last night!" Officer Jenny began. "Team Rocket planned to use the power of our own Pokemon to destroy us! However, thanks to some very brave Pokemon, their plan was thwarted, and our city survived to see this joyful day!" Cheers went up from the crowd at this, so Officer Jenny waited for the crowd to quiet for a moment.

"I wonder if we'll get medals or something?" Mudkip asked.

"Just wait and see." Ash assured Mudkip as Officer Jenny prepared to speak again.

"It is therefore my privilige, and greatest honor, to present to you our brave rescuers...Ash Ketchum and the Pokemon Rescue Force!" Officer Jenny announced. At this, confetti cannons fired, cameras began flashing, and the high school band began playing as Ash and the Force charged onto the platform and waved to the crowd...

_Later that day..._

"Wow...I'm pooped from that party on the square..." Pikachu sighed as the group carried Serena to the doorstep of her master's house.

"I know, but we still have to take Serena home...she's the last of the captured Pokemon that needs to come home..." Ash explained as he set Serena on the house's front stoop, rang the doorbell, and retreated to the bush where the others were hiding.

Pikachu smiled as a young brown haired girl answered the door. "Serena!" she cried.

"Mew!" Serena replied as she leapt into her master's arms.

"Oh, you're all right!" the girl cried again, tears of joy running down her face as she shut the door. "Mom! Dad! Serena's home!..."

"Aww..." Mudkip commented.

"And so ends another mission for the Rescue Force..." Treecko mused as he climbed aboard Swellow.

"With a happy ending, too!" Ash interjected. "Come on, Swellow...let's go home." Swellow nodded, and soared off into the sunset...

END MISSION 1


	4. Chapter 4

Mission 2: Eevee the Trainee! (part 1)

"Guys? Can I trust you to look after the base while I go pick up a few things at the Pokemart?" Ash asked the Rescue Force as he mounted Swellow.

"Of course, I've set the phone on standby; so if we do get any calls while you're out, the caller can leave a message." Mudkip smiled as she switched on the the TV, where the song "On our Way" was playing in the background as Gary took a flying leap on a stage, clad in a blue top hat and tails.

"All right, I'll be back in a little while." With that, Ash and Swellow disappeared out the exit tunnel.

Treecko took a glance at what Mudkip was watching and gasped. "Is dat 'The Gary and Umbreon Show', by any chance?"

"Sure is!" Mudkip replied as Gary, now in his normal clothes, ran out on the stage to greet the studio audience. "It just got started."

"I'll go make some popcorn!" and Pikachu hurried into the kitchen, nearly knocking Torchic over in the process.

On the screen, Gary addressed the audience. "Thank you! Today we want to pay tribute to the Gym Leaders of the world...and we'll start with the flower of Celadon, the lovely Erika!" Applause filled the air as Erika appeared on the stage, shook hands with Gary, then began conversing with him.

"She's beautiful..." Treecko started, hearts forming in his eyes as he admired Erika on the screen. In fact, just looking at her was a lot more interesting than the interview she was having with Gary at that moment. He was suddenly jarred out of his daydream when the TV announced."'The Gary and Umbreon Show' will be right back after these messages."

"What'cha watching?" Pikachu asked as he sat down between Treecko and Mudkip with a large bowl of popcorn.

"It's just 'The Gary and Umbreon Show'. Torchic explained. "Today's guest is Erika, and Treecko's in love with her!" she laughed as she turned her attention back to the TV. Some happy music started to play as some Meowths and Skitties appeared on a stage.

_If you're hungry  
And you're not a cow - Meow!  
Then try some delicious PokéChow!_ they sang as the spotlight came up on a yellow box with arms, legs, and a smiling Vulpix on its front.

The PokeChow box danced with some of the Meowths as they continued:

_It's a delicious treat  
That sure can't be beat!  
Then try some PokéChow - Meow!_ The box struck a pose as the commercial finished.

"Now that was a weird commercial..." Mudkip commented.

"You're telling me..." Pikachu sighed as a Pidgeot Airlines commercial came on.

Just then, the door slammed. "Guys, I'm home!" Ash called as he strolled into the living room, an Eevee trailing along behind him.

_If you're hungry  
And you're not a cow - Meow!  
Then try some delicious PokéChow!_ Torchic sang as she skipped across the floor with the PokeChow box in one wing.

Ash was puzzled. "What's with Torchic?"

"They played that annoying PokeChow commercial with the Meowths and the dancing box just now." Pikachu explained as he changed the channel.

"Oh really?" Ash laughed. "Anyway, I'd like you guys to meet our newest addition!" he announced as he set Eevee on the floor.

"Thank you for accepting me into the Rescue Force, Ash..." Eevee began as she smoothed out her fur. "I'm sure I can be of service to you somehow."

"Well, in order to be a full member, you've got to be trained first, which I'm sure Pikachu and the others will gladly do..." Ash assured Eevee as he disappeared into his office. "so pay attention to what Pikachu and the others have to tell you."

"Oh, I will!" Eevee replied as she followed Pikachu and Treecko down the hall and into a screening room...

---------

"All right..." Treecko began as he prepped the projector in the screening room. "First part of the training explains how the Pokemon Rescue Force came to be...so you know a little bit about us and what you're getting into."

"LIGHTS!" Pikachu called. At that moment, the lights in the room dimmed and the projector began to whir.

3...

2...

1...

_The Pokemon Rescue Force--serving the citizens of Pallet Town and the world since 1998!_ an announcer began as a picture of a Rescue Force badge flashed on the screen.

"That's the official Rescue Force badge." Treecko explained. "Wear it when you go out on missions so people and Pokemon know who you are." Eevee nodded and turned her attention back to the screen, which depected Ash walking on a road.

_The origins of the Rescue Force began with Ash's own journey._ the announcer explained. _As he traveled to the various towns and cities of the world, he met up with many people and Pokemon that needed help with troubles large and small--it was from this attitude of helpfulness the Rescue Force emerged._

Many Pokemon and humans have served on the Force in the past... the announcer continued as profiles of past Rescue Force members, human and Pokemon, flashed on the screen. _Some former members start squadrons of their own._ At this, the screen showed a shot of May taking a call.

"That's May, the leader of the Houen squadron of the Force." Treecko explained, but he noticed Eevee was getting drowsy eyed. "Guys? Is this enough video?"

"I guess." Torchic replied as she shut off the projector, making the lights come up. "Come on, Eevee...let's show you to your room..."

---------

Feathers and laughter filled the air as Eevee bounced around the bed, pillows and blankets in her room. 'This is so much fun!"

"Yeah, but we're the ones that have to clean up your mess..." Pikachu grumbled as he swept up more feathers.

"Hey..." Eevee glanced up, startled by Ash's sudden appearance in the doorway. "No jumping on the beds...it just makes a big mess." Eevee sighed and slumped on the bed, bored...

Mudkip climbed on the bed next to Eevee. "Ash doesn't like it when we jump on the beds like that...he just wants to keep the rooms clean." she began.

"What's the lights on the corners for?" Eevee interrupted, pointing out two red lights in the corners.

"Those are alert lights..." Mudkip explained. "When Ash sounds the alarm, they'll flash...so if you're asleep, they'll wake you up!"

"I'd hate to be woken up at two in the morning!" Eevee grumbled as she glanced outside.

"Sometimes a call comes at two in the morning." Treecko called. "So we always have to be ready for occassions like that. That's why we sometimes have drills."

"Drills?" Eevee was interested. "Like fire drills?"

"Something like that." Pikachu explained. "Ash doesn't give us any warning as to when he'll sound the alarm for a drill, so we always have to be ready...they usually occur every three or four days."

"Here's how a drill works..." Torchic explained. "Ash sounds the alarm, just like a real mission; and we have to rush down to the base's entrance, where Swellow is, as quickly as we can."

"Our last drill was two days ago, so we may have one today." Treecko added. "So don't panic when the alarm goes off, although it might startle you at first."

"If we do have a drill today, just follow me, and I'll show you the quickest route." Pikachu assured Eevee as he finished tidying up the room.

"But what does the alarm--" Eevee started, only to be cut off by a bell ringing. She shielded her eyes and ears as the two lights began to flash and a siren began to wail.

"That's the alarm! Come on!" Pikachu dragged Eevee out the door and carried her down the hallway to the rescue pole, where they slid down into the living room. After rounding a corner into the base's entryway, they stood by Swellow, where Ash was waiting with a stopwatch.

After disabling the alarm, Ash checked the time on the watch. "Not bad, but you're usually faster than this!" he noted as he displayed the time: 1'20"54.

"Eevee was afraid of the alarm, so I had to carry her down." Pikachu grumbled, gesturing to the shuddering Eevee.

Ash knelt down to Eevee's eye level and stroked her fur. "I know the alarm is scary at first, but you'll get used to it." he started...

"The alarm's not scary, it's just loud!" Eevee explained. "It just surprised me when it went off!"

"I will tell you this much: When I sound the alarm for real, I usually call 'Let's go, Rescue Force!' before pushing the button, so that's how you'll know when it's a real mission." Ash explained as he carried Eevee into the kitchen for lunch.

_After lunch..._

"Here's Ash's office, where he handles all our calls, analyzes any data we find, and sounds the alarm." Torchic explained as she watched Ash settle in his chair and slip on his headset.

"Before I show you around here, here's a present for you..." and Ash handed Eevee a communicator. "This communicator watch will allow you to talk to us while you're out on a mission. Your codename is Diamond." With that, he slipped the communicator on Eevee.

"I'm Topaz..." Pikachu explained.

"Treecko's Emerald..." Mudkip continued, "Torchic's Ruby, and I'm Sapphire."

"Jewels...that'll be easy to remember!" Eevee smiled. "So what's Ash's code? Pearl?"

"Nope, Ash is Master Jewel." Pikachu explained. "To call us, press the red button that says 'CALL' and say 'Diamond calling...whoever you need to talk to.' When you're done talking, just say 'Diamond out'.

"Okay..." and Eevee nervously pressed the button. "Diamond calling Ruby..."

"This is Ruby..." Torchic replied. "Do you read me?"

"I do.." Eevee stammered. "Diamond out."

Ash smiled. "You must be a natural!" he began, before inviting Eevee on his desk. "This is all my stuff I need to work." he explained, gesturing to a large red button with a white loudspeaker on it in between the videophone and laptop. "This is the button that triggers the alarm...the videophone's how I take calls..."

'So those headphones you're wearing aren't for music, then?" Eevee was curious.

"They can play music, but I mainly use them to listen to whoever's calling on the phone, or if you guys need to tell me something." Ash xplained as he brought up a fresh data log on the laptop. "The laptop's how I keep track of any data you guys find...it also helps to tap into enemy computers and analyze physical evidence."

'Ring Ring! Rescue Force!" announced the phone, startling Eevee to the point of tumbling to the floor!

"Good afternoon, Pokemon Rescue Force..." Ash started as he helped Eevee back on the desk. "Mm-hmm...yes...what did this dog Pokemon look like?...I see...all right, we'll be right there." With that, he hung up the phone.

"Who was it?" Eevee asked.

"We've got a mission...your first." Ash replied. "Let's go, Rescue Force!" With that, Eevee hurried out of the office and joined her new comrades as the alarm began to ring...

_To Be Continued..._


	5. Chapter 5

Mission 2: Eevee the Trainee! (part 2)

"There it is...Lake Pallete." Pikachu noted to Swellow, who spiraled in for a landing on the lake's left bank. A Squirtle sat nearby, longingly staring at his reflection in the water. Pikachu led the others up the hill to where the Squirtle was sitting and flashed his badge. "Pokemon Rescue Force, at your service!"

The Squirtle's expression changed to a relieved smile. "At last! Maybe you can help me find my gift for my beloved, Usui! I'm Saiyu, by the way..." he began as he shook the group's hands.

"Our pleasure, Saiyu." Eevee replied. "What happened with your treasure?"

"Well..." Saiyu thought for a moment, then continued. "You all know that Lake Pallete has a wide collection of gemstones buried in the sand, right?"

"Mm-hmm...Ash sometimes mines gems here." Torchic added.

"I was exploring the lake bottom one day, looking for a pretty blue stone to give to Usui." Saiyu continued. "As I dug for stones, I found the perfect blue stone embedded in a rock. After I pried it out and took it to the surface, I saw this large yellow dog Pokemon that resembled a tiger patrolling the bank."

"Hold on, Saiyu...could you describe this Pokemon a little bit more?" Mudkip asked as she reached for her Pokedex.

"It had whiskers like a Meowth..." Saiyu continued, pausing to let Mudkip enter the information. "...stripes like an Arcanine...a mane like a storm cloud...and a tail like a lightning bolt."

"Okay..." Mudkip pressed ENTER, letting the Pokedex search for information.

Finally, a picture of the Pokemon Saiyu described blipped on the screen. **"Raikou, the thunder Pokemon."** the Pokedex began. **"He embodies the speed of lightning. His roars send shock waves shuddering through the air and ground as if lightning was coming down"**

Eevee shuddered. "I hope he doesn't like Eevees for lunch...those sharp teeth look scary!" With that, she pointed out some fangs in the Raikou picture.

"I tried to battle Raikou and get my treasure back, but he knocked me to the ground and fled to the cave over there." Saiyu continued, pointing out a cave located a little further up the hill. "If you can enter the cave and get my treasure back, I'd be very grateful!"

"We'll find your treasure, don't worry!" Eevee assured Saiyu before darting off towards the cave.

"Hey, wait for us!" Pikachu called as the rest of the Rescue Force scrambled to keep up with Eevee.

_Inside Raikou's Cave..._

"There you are!" Pikachu gasped as he finally caught up to Eevee. "Don't go running off like that again! You could get hurt that way!"

"S-sorry..." Eevee stammered as she romped back behind Torchic for protection.

Treecko shrugged and adjusted his twig. "So? What's da plan, oh mighty leader?" Everyone else glanced at Pikachu, eagerly awaiting the answer.

"First of all, let's tell Ash what we've discovered so far..." and Mudkip reached for her communicator. "Sapphire calling Master Jewel..."

"I read you, Sapphire..." Ash smiled. "Any news?"

"We talked with the Squirtle that issued the call..." Mudkip explained. "and he told us that a Raikou stole the gem he was planning to give to his beloved as a token of his love..."

"I see..." Ash replied as he began running a search in the laptop's Battledex for information on how to defeat a Raikou in case the Rescue Force would need to fight.

"Our next objective, find Raikou and nicely ask him to give the stone back...and if he challenges us to fight, we fight!" Mudkip continued.

"I wanna fight Raikou! I know a Ground type move, I can take him out easily!" Eevee begged, interrupting Mudkip mid sentence. "Let me fight him, please!

"Quiet!" Treecko snapped. "We have to FIND Raikou first..."

Mudkip sighed, annoyed by Eevee's excitement. "As I was saying, if Raikou challenges us to a duel for the stone, how do you suggest you go about it?"

"Here we go..." Ash studied the Battledex entry for a moment, then compared the movesets of the Rescue Force. "Eevee does know a Ground type move or two...she could distract Raikou with her Sand Blaster attack, then burrow underground and use her Strata Lance attack. As for the rest of you, you can cover Eevee while she attacks."

"All right...so where is Raikou?" Mudkip asked.

"Ash paused to bring up a map of the cave. "Not far...just follow the path you're on and you'll find him."

"Thanks!" Mudkip replied. "Sapphire out." With that, the image of Ash disappeared.

Treecko turned to Eevee. "I'm sorry I yelled at you earlier..." he began.

"It's okay, I'm just excited about a battle." Eevee explained.

"Keep that excitement in check untill we find him, okay?" Pikachu asked as he led the Rescue Force down the path.

_A few minutes later..._

"There he is..." Pikachu started, pointing out a large yellow dog Pokemon snoozing in the center of a large open room, clutching a sapphire in one paw. "We have to be quiet, unless you want him to wake up."

"I don't wanna know what happens when he does wake up..." Eevee shuddered.

"Then keep it down." Pikachu shushed. With that, he tiptoed over to the snoozing Raikou. The others followed, just in case Pikachu needed help. Just as Pikachu reached to grab the sapphire from the Beast's paw, Raikou changed positions, putting the stone at the other end of the room.

Eevee hurried around to the other end and carefully reached out to grab the stone, but accidently brushed against Raikou! "Oh!"

"Mrrgh..." Raikou stretched as he sleepily stood up. "Who's there? Who wants to take my treasure?" he growled as he approached the Rescue Force.

"That's not your treasure, the Squirtle you stole it from had it first!" Eevee retorted.

"Silence, Eevee! Unless you wish to become my dinner for this evening..." he sneered as he cornered Eevee.

"Get ready to battle!" Pikachu and the others hurried to the corner, where Raikou was about to skewer Eevee with his razor sharp teeth...

_To Be Continued..._


	6. Chapter 6

Mission 2: Eevee the Trainee! (part 3)

Eevee shuddered as Raikou approached her. _I shouldn't have tried to snatch the stone..._ she thought as she backed even further into the corner in an attempt to escape the growling Raikou. Raikou was about to lunge and bite Eevee...

"Leave her alone!" Pikachu protested, getting the Beast's attention. "That stone wasn't yours to begin with, and we'd like it back so we can take it to its rightful owner!"

"Tell you what, thunder mouse..." Raikou taunted as he watched Eevee run behind Pikachu for protection. "I'll propose a challenge...if you can defeat me in a duel, the stone is yours...understood?"

"Bring it on, Tiger Dog!" Eevee taunted. Angered by the taunt, Raikou leapt at the Rescue Force...

cue BGM: Let's Go, Rescue Force!

Raikou's HP???/??? (Status: OK)

Pikachu's HP:103/103 (Status: OK)

Treecko's HP: 111/111 (Status: OK)

Torchic's HP: 102/102 (Status: OK)

Mudkip's HP: 97/97 (Status: OK)

Eevee's HP: 94/94 (Status: OK)

"YELLOW THUNDER!" Raikou fired a huge lightning bolt at the group, causing everyone to scamble for cover from the attack! Pikachu, however, got the brunt of the damage. (66/103)

"VOLT TACKLE!" Next, Raikou started to glow yellow, and hurled himself at the group, squishing, as well as shocking, Treecko in the process.

(67/111)

"Goodness, just how strong is this guy?" Treecko gasped as he weakly crawled back to the corner of the room where the others were huddled, afraid of Raikou's next move.

"Let's see...and Pikachu pressed 'SCAN' on his communicator...

Pikachu used Scan!

Raikou's HP: 900/900

Mudkip's eye's widened when she saw the high number that designated Raikou's HP. "Wowee...we've got our work cut out for us..."

"We won't get much done if we just stand here!" Eevee interjected. She then raced up to Raikou and slammed into him so fast, she was just a blur.

(879/900)

Raikou winced from the pain of the attack. "Is that the best you can do?" he sneered. "YELLOW THUNDER!" Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip scarmbled out of the way of the giant thunderbolt, but each wound up with a little damage.

(Treecko's HP: 46/111

Torchic's HP: 79/102

Mudkip's HP: 67/97)

Torchic flitted up in the air above the others. "FIRE'S BLESSING!" A red aura drifted down over everyone, healing them of their wounds.

Freebie!

"BULLET SEED!" Treecko began firing glowing green seeds at Raikou...

Hit 4 times!

(Raikou's HP: 850/900

"HYDRO BLASTER!" Mudkip fired a spray of water, but Raikou ran out of the way, making the attack splatter on the wall!

Mudkip's attack missed!

"AUGH!" Eevee yelped as Raikou slammed into her with Volt Tackle.

(Eevee's HP: 36/94)

"SILVER TAIL!" Pikachu's tail began to glow silver as he charged at Raikou, striking him in the face!

Critical hit!

(Raikou's HP: 770/900)

"SAND BLASTER!" Eevee tried to blind Raikou with some sand, but Raikou ran out of the way!

Eevee's attack missed!

"YELLOW THUNDER!" Raikou countered by firing another thunderbolt at the group!

Pikachu got lucky!

Eevee got lucky!

(Treecko's HP: 83/111)

"FLAME STRIKE!" Raikou was caught offguard by Torchic's attack!

(Raikou's HP: 722/900)

"Eevee!" Pikachu watched in horror as Raikou slammed into Eevee with another Volt Tackle, knocking her out!

Eevee fainted!

"Here!" Mudkip rummaged through her bag and found a Rainbow Wing, then handed it to Pikachu, who lightly rubbed Eevee's nose with it. Eevee's eye's flickered open, but she was still a little dazed.

Mudkip used a Rainbow Wing!

Mudkip's HP is filled!

Eevee is revived!

(Eevee's HP: 94/94)

"FLORA SWORD!" Treecko slammed into Raikou with his lucky twig, which was now glowing green, but Raikou stepped aside, causing the glowing twig to slash the air instead.

Treecko's attack missed!

"PIKA RUSH!" Pikachu charged at Raikou, sending the Beast stumbling backwards.

(Raikou's HP: 679/900)

"Thunder's Blessing..." Raikou whispered, surrounding him with a yellow aura.  
(Raikou's HP: 727/900)

"Here!" Eevee toosed a Potion to Pikachu, who promptly drank the contents down.

Pikachu's HP is filled!

Freebie!

"FLAME STRIKE!" Torchic fired another blast of fire at Raikou.

(Raikou's HP: 667/900)

"YELLOW THUNDER!" Raikou countered by firing a thunderbolt!

(Eevee's HP: 74/94

Torchic's HP: 57/102

Mudkip's HP: COLOR-Yellow43/92/color)

"Here!" Treecko tossed a Potion to Mudkip.

Mudkip's HP is filled!

"HYDRO BLASTER!" Mudkip fired a spray of water at Raikou, blinding him momentarily.

(Raikou's HP: 622/900)

"YELLOW THUNDER!" Everyone scrambled to get out of the way of Raikou's attack, but Torchic was caught up in the surge. She fell, defeated.

Torchic fainted!

Eevee's Attack rose!

"Mind if I borrow one of these?" Pikachu asked Mudkip as he grabbed a Rainbow Wing and lightly rubbed it on Torchic's beak.

Torchic is revived!

"EEVEE RUSH!" Eevee charged into Raikou, making the Beast howl in pain.

(Raikou's HP: 561/900)

"YELLOW THUNDER!" The Force again scarmbled to avoid another thunderbolt!

(Eevee's HP: 50/94

Mudkip's HP: 67/97)

"FLAME STRIKE!" Torchic fired another wave of flames, but Raikou sailed over them!

Torchic's attack missed!

"Yipe!" Treecko tried to escape a Volt Tackle, but got squished in the process!

(Treecko's HP: 42/111)

"Here!" Mudkip tossed a Potion to Treecko.

Treecko's HP is filled!

"ENERGY VINE!" Treecko tried to bind Raikou in his vines, but the Legendary Beast was too fast for him.

Hit 3 times!

Angered by the attack, Raikou swatted a paw at Treecko, sending him flying against the wall!

(Treecko's HP: 78/111

Raikou's HP: 447/900)

"YELLOW THUNDER!" Raikou unleashed yet another thunderbolt, again making the Force scatter!

(Eevee's HP: 23/94)

Eevee is in Danger!

(Pikachu's HP: 46/103)

Pikachu threw a Potion to Eevee, then watched her slam into Raikou so hard, the Beast crashed into the wall!

Critical hit!

Raikou's HP: 333/900

"Nice shot!" Pikachu called to Eevee as he accepted a Potion from Torchic.

Eevee's HP is filled!

Pikachu's HP is filled!

"AUGH!" Mudkip was crushed by a Volt Tackle!

(Mudkip's HP: 14/97)

Mudkip is in Danger!

"Let's give it all we've got!" Pikachu called. With that, the Force charged at Raikou, cornering him very much like he had cornered Eevee earlier! He howled in pain as Treecko's Bullet Seed and Mudkip's Hydro Blaster hit at the same time.

Hit 4 times by Bullet Seed!

(Raikou's HP: 230/900

"You're appearently stronger than I thought..." Raikou sneered. "But, let's see how you hold up against my special secret move!" With that, the storm clouds on his mane began to glow an eerie purple.

"Quickly, Eevee! Dig!" Pikachu yelped.

Eevee burrowed underground!

One by one, the remaining members of the Force tried to weaken Raikou before he could unleash the final blow--they knew full well it would probably faint them all if he was still strong.

(Raikou's HP: 118/900)

Raikou is in Danger! You've almost got him!

"Unggh..." Raikou grunted weakly as he began glowing a bright yellow. "MEGA THUNDER!" At this, the entire cave lit up to a bright yellow as Thunderbolts came crashing down all over the cave!

(Pikachu's HP: 33/103)

Pikachu is in Danger!

(Treecko's HP: 8/111)

Treecko is in Peril!

Torchic fainted!

Mudkip fainted!

"Not so high and mighty without two of your teammates, are you?" Raikou laughed as he walked Pikachu and Treecko weakly attempt to stand.

"You...haven't seen...our...secret...weapon...yet..." Pikachu gasped as he reached for a Rainbow Wing and revived Mudkip and Torchic.

Mudkip was revived!

Torchic was revived!

Suddenly, Raikou felt the ground shaking! "What?"

"STRATA LANCE!" Eevee appeared from the ground and slammed into the Beast, making him fall! Pikachu, now fully healed, grabbed the stone as Raikou fell to the ground, heavily weakened.

VICTORY!

"Oh Eevee!" Torchic smiled as Eevee ran to greet her teammaate. "I'm so proud of you!"

"Me too!" Pikachu agreed. "You really proved yourself today! I know Ash will be proud of you too!" He lead the way out of the cave and into the sunshine...

----------

Saiyu stood by the cave entrance as the Rescue Force emerged from the cave. "Did you find my stone?" he asked.

"Here you are!" Pikachu smiled as he presented the stone to Saiyu. "I'm sure Usui will love it!"

"Tell Usui hi for us!" Eevee called as she waved goodbye to Saiyu as he dove in the lake. Swellow also arrived by the lake bank, allowing the Force to climb aboard.

"You think Ash would like hearing about our battle?" Eevee asked as Swellow took off.

"Let's head home and find out!" Pikachu replied. Everyone laughed as Swellow soared off into the sky.

END MISSION 2


	7. Chapter 7

Mission 3: Sing to Save Pewter's Treasure! (part 1)

"Morning, you guys..." Pikachu yawned as he trooped into the kitchen and fixed his breakfast.

"Mornin'..." Treecko replied. "I think Eevee here's still asleep." He gestured to the still snoozing Eevee in the chair next to him. "Little girl must've stayed up too late late night." He was about to say more when the phone announced "Ring Ring! Rescue Force!", startling everyone!

Eevee opened an eye, confused to what was going on. "What's going on?" she yawned as she nibbled on her breakfast.

"Sounds like we have a mission...to help out one of our fellow Rescue Force teams." Pikachu explained, straining his ears to listen for any details coming from Ash's office.

The group listened as Ash began: "Good morning, Pokemon Rescue Force...oh, hi! How are things in Pewter?...mm-hmm...and you have no tips or leads?...okay...just give us directions to your base and we'll be right over!"

"Who was it?" Torchic asked as Ash rushed to the refrigerator and began packing meals for himself and the Rescue Force.

"That was Brock in Pewter City; a dear friend of mine." Ash explained. "There's been a big robbery in Pewter, and not even his Rescue Force team can crack the case! So we're going to help him out..."I'm going to sound the alarm to wake Swellow up..." Ash cautioned as he rushed to the office. A few seconds later, the alarm began to ring, jolting Swellow awake! He waited for the Rescue Force to board, then set the base to temporarily shut down for three days.

"Pokemon Rescue Force, away!" Ash cried as Swellow disappeared out the exit tunnel...

_In Pewter City..._

Brock smiled as Swellow spiraled in for a landing from his exit tunnel. He had built a network of tunnels under the Gym, and only he, his younger sister Terra, and his Rescue Force team knew the way in. Terra also entered the room, smoothing back her brown hair as she did so. "Why didn't you tell me the Pallet Rescue Force was coming?" she asked.

"They're going to help us with our current mission." Brock explained before addressing Ash. "Welcome to our base...not very much different from your base, is it?" he laughed.

"Aside from the Boulder Badge motif, no..." Mudkip replied as she glanced aroung the living room.

"Hey, what's this?" Eevee asked as she romped over to a potted plant sitting by the rescue pole by Brock's office. She swatted at the plant's three leaves playfully.

"Terra, is that..." the plant murmured, startling Eevee! She watched as a seedling like Pokemon opened its yellow eyes and stepped from the pot. "Oh! Guests?" it asked, smiling coyly at Eevee.

Terra giggled as she retrieved the seedling Pokemon from the floor. "I see you've met Bonsly..."

"I almost thought he was a plant!" Eevee stammered, a little embarrassed.

"That's why he makes an excellent scout." Brock laughed as he threw on an apron in preparation to fix lunch. "When he's in trouble, he just hops in a bucket someplace and people think he's just a plant."

"Very clever..." Ash smiled as he carried the last of his luggage into the base. "Where's the rest of your team?"

"Just a sec..." Brock turned in the direction of the rescue pole and let out a loud whistle, scaring everyone! "Here they come..." he assured Ash as a Vulpix led a Lotad, a Zubat, and a Pinceco down the rescue pole. "Guys, this is Pallet's Rescue Force team." he began. "They're going to help us with our current mission."

"Really?" the Vulpix smiled. "That's great news!"

"Er, not to be rude, but what IS your current mission?" Ash asked, settling down in a chair before a fireplace.

"I didn't know Brock could whistle that loud..." Pikachu groaned as he climbed on Ash's lap.

Vulpix just waited for everyone to settle down, then began. "A few days ago, the Pewter City Museum was robbed of its prized artifact, a Jirachi statue made of pure diamond. People call it the Diamond Jirachi."

"Fire Red says that the Diamond Jirachi can grant wishes of those with pure hearts." Lotad continued. "Giovanni knows that the statue won't grant his dark wishes..."

"Um, who's Fire Red?" Torchic interuppted.

"That's Brock's codename...he's Fire Red, I'm Leaf Green." Terra explained as she cradled Lotad in her arms.

"So if Giovanni doesn't want the Diamond Jirachi for its wish granting power, then why does he want it?" Ash asked.

"Only to look at and brood over...our objective: find the Diamond Jirachi and bring it back where it belongs." Vulpix concluded as she accepted some Pokechow from Brock.

"The problem..." Brock explained as he set out a plate of sandwiches on the table. "is that we haven't had any good tips as to where Giovanni and the Diamond Jirachi are...maybe you can team up with us and help."

"A Rescue Force Team is meant to help others; even if it's another team!" Pikachu interjected. "We'll help in any way we can."

"Okay!" Vulpix replied as she watched Brock settle before a beautiful black piano in one corner of the room. "As our thanks, let Fire Red entertain you at the piano..."

"You guys are in for a treat!" Ash smiled as he invited his team onto the couch. "Brock's a wonderful piano player...not to mention a fine guitar player too."

"Whenever you're ready, Maestro..." Vulpix began. She led the clapping as Brock's fingers began flying over the keys at a dizzying pace.

"WOW!" Eevee was impressed.

"I bet if you tried to play that, your fingers would be tied up in knots!" Treecko laughed, interlocking his fingers to illustrate his point. Ash merely smirked at Treecko's taunt; for he knew full well his piano skills weren't as great as Brock's.

Torchic led the applause when the song concluded. "Bravo! Encore!"

Brock was about to grant Torchic's request for an encore when a familiar beeping got his attention: his pocket communicator! "Good afternoon, Pokemon Rescue Force...mm-hmm...really? Where...all right, we're coming! Fire Red out." With that, he closed up the piano. "Looks like your encore will have to wait, Torchic." he started as he led the others to the exit tunnel, where Swellow was waiting.

"What's going on?" Ash was curious.

"We just received a tip on Giovanni's whereabouts...so we're going to check it out." Brock explained. "Terra, release Sora, if you would, please."

"Okay!" Terra replied as she heaved a Poke Ball in the air. "Sora! Come on out!" At this, a Pidgeotto appeared from the Poke Ball and waited for Brock's team to climb aboard.

"We'll follow you guys!" Ash volunteered as he and his team climbed aboard Swellow...

_To Be Continued..._


	8. Chapter 8

Mission 3: Sing to Save Pewter's Treasure! (part 2)

The morning sun was already high overhead as the two bird Pokemon--each with a Rescue Force team aboard--soared over Pewter City, looking for any evidence of Rockets on the move. The Pidgeotto and the Swellow circled over the city, paying no heed to the people and buildings down below.

"You think this was a false alarm again?" Torchic asked as Swellow started another lap around the city.

"We would've turned back by now if it was..." Pikachu replied. "But I haven't heard any order to turn back yet..." He was about to say more when his communicator started beeping. "This is Topaz..."

"This is Fire Red..." Brock's voice began. "Sora says she sees two Rockets running down the sidewalk--apparently taking something else to Giovanni, I bet."

"What do you want us to do?" Pikachu asked.

"Vulpix says she has a suspicion that the Rocket base is somewhere in the city, and following these grunts will take us there." Brock explained. "Once we do figure out the base's location, we can return there and retrieve the treasure. So for now, just follow us...Fire Red out."

"Topaz out." Pikachu replied. "Brock says follow him--they found two grunts on the run--" he started until he noted Sora already flying on. "Hey, wait for us!"

"Follow those grunts!" Treecko called to Swellow. Swellow nodded and began diving down, being careful to follow Sora as she dove into the noon rush hour traffic.

"Of all the times we have to chase something, we have to pick rush hour..." Eevee groaned, clutching to Ash as Swellow wove his way through cars, flew over buildings, and veered out of the way of people--until she noticed Sora closing in on the grunts as they stopped at a traffic light. "There they are!"

But, the light turned green as Sora approached, prompting the grunts to run in the direction of a factory not too far away from the museum, where they disappeared from view of the two birds.

"We lost them..." Mudkip sighed.

"Look at it this way...at least we know where their base is now..." Ash assured Mudkip.

"Fire Red calling Leaf Green...we're coming home..." Brock started as he led Sora back towards the base, with Swellow following...

_Back at the base..._

"...and right as we approached the stoplight, the light turned green, allowing the grunts to get away." Brock continued as he explained to Terra how the morning's chase unfolded. "They ran into the old PokeChow factory by the museum."

"You mean the one we went to on a field trip two years ago?" Terra asked. Brock nodded. "That's weird...why would they pick an old factory as their base?"

"Maybe they want to use the machines inside to make weapons?" Torchic suggested

"Impossible, _chica..._" Lotad explained. "Those machines were meant to make food, not bombs!"

"It's possible..." Vulpix interrupted as she climbed up on the desk and brought up a map of the old factory. "Of course, converting the machinery would take a lot of money...and the Rocket's funds aren't that high at the moment..." She was about to say more when she heard the notes of an acoustic guitar drifting in the room. "Brock! This is not the time to practice!" she hissed.

"I'm writing a song...for a plan!" Brock explained as he worked on figuring out some chords for a melody.

"A plan?" Everyone was interested.

Brock set his guitar aside for a moment, "So much for the song I was gonna write..." he sighed as he brought up a detailed map of the old factory. "Terra suggested something better...so anyway, the Rockets have converted the factory into a game corner...so what better way to distract them than to entertain them with a song while the rest of us get the treasures?

"That's a great idea..." Ash interjected. "Got a simulation?"

"Right here...Terra made it a few moments ago." Brock explained as he started the simulation. A 3D view of the main hall of the factory turned game corner appeared. "See, Pikachu and Eevee will perform the song, 'Beautifly'..." At this, a 3D Pikachu in a Beautifly costume and a 3D Eevee appeared on the stage, where they began dancing to a techno beat. "Meanwhile, the rest of us will locate Giovanni's quarters..." The screen shifted to some 3D representations of everyone else going down a few hallways, past the factory control room, across a few catwalks, down some more hallways, and stopping at one particular door.

Pikachu shuddered at how his 3D self looked in the costume. "Don't tell me I have to sing in THAT..." he begged.

"But you'll look cute!" Ash protested.

"Cute-shmute, I'll look stupid!" Pikachu retorted.

Brock whistled, silencing the escalating argument. "Hey, calm down...it's only for a few minutes." he assured Pikachu. "Anyway, by the time we return with the treasures..." The simulation showed the 3D versions of the group returning to the main hall. "Pikachu and Eevee will have finished the song..and we'll be long gone!" he concluded, pleased with his plan.

_Later that night..._

"Are we ready?" Brock asked as Vulpix finished putting the Beautifly costume on Pikachu.

"Almost..." Vulpix called back. "There, perfect!"

"Perfectly foolish..." Pikachu grumbled as he joned the others at the factory entrance.

"Okay...I'll guide our performers to the stage; the song beginning is your signal to head towards Giovanni's quarters." Brock explained to the others. "Be careful of traps and guards!"

"Don't worry!" Ash smiled.

"Okay...let's go." With that, the combined Rescue Force teams made their way to the main hall, where various Rocket grunts were paying the various games.

"Good luck, guys:" Ash whispered as he led his team to the room's exit, waiting for the song to begin.

"Is our cue the first 'Ai-yai-yai', or the music picking up?" Torchic was confused.

"The music picking up." Ash replied as Brock appeared onstage, now in emcee's attire.

"What's he saying? I can't hear Brock.." Mudkip whispered.

"He's just introing Pikachu and Eevee, that's all..." Treecko assured Mudkip as he heard the Rockets applaud. "Get ready..."

Torchic started out the door as the music began, but had only gotten a few steps when Ash pulled her back. "Not, yet, not yet..."

Eevee, meanwhile, started to sing...

_Ai-yai-yai,  
Ai-yai-yai,  
Ai-yai-yai,  
Where's my samurai?_

The Rockets applauded as the music picked up...Ash and the others crept out the door as Pikachu sang...

_I've been searching for a man,  
All across Japan,  
Just to find, to find my samurai...  
Someone who is strong, and just a little shy,  
Yes I need, I need my samurai..._

Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly! Eevee joined in.  
_Green, black, and blue; making colors in the sky!  
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!  
Green, black, and blue; making colors in the sky!_  
Some of the Rockets laughed as Pikachu and Eevee danced to the beat...then Pikachu sang again:  
_I'm searching in the woods,  
And high upon the hills,  
Just to find, to find my samurai...  
Someone who won't regret,  
To keep me in his net,  
Yes I need, I need my samurai..._

Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly! Eevee sang along.  
_Green, black, and blue; making colors in the sky!  
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!  
Green, black, and blue; making colors in the sky!_

Ai-yai-yai,  
Ai-yai-yai,  
Ai-yai-yai,  
Where's my samurai?

Ai-yai-yai,  
Ai-yai-yai,  
Ai-yai-yai,  
Where's my samurai?

Oh...Oh...Oh...  
Oh..Oh...

Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!  
Green, black, and blue; making colors in the sky!  
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!  
Green, black, and blue; making colors in the sky

Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!  
Green, black, and blue; making colors in the sky!  
Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!  
Green, black, and blue; making colors in the sky!

Ai-yai-yai,  
Ai-yai-yai,  
Ai-yai-yai,  
Where's my samurai?

Ai-yai-yai,  
Ai-yai-yai,  
Ai-yai-yai,  
Where's my samurai?

Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!  
Green, black, and blue; making colors in the sky! The game hall roared with applause as Pikachu and Eevee took a bow for the audience, then hurried offstage, rejoining the others.

"I'm glad that's over..." Pikachu sighed as he removed the Beautifly costume. No sooner had he said that, did the group find their exit blocked by some Rocket grunts! "Uh oh..."

"Leaving?" the two grunts asked.

"We were hoping for an encore..." the female grunt continued as she bound up the Pokemon.

Ash swallowed hard as the male grunt bound his hands...he hadn't counted on Brock's plan going horribly wrong...

_To Be Continued..._


	9. Chapter 9

Mission 3: Sing to Save Pewter's Treasure! (part 3)

"Hey, let go!" Ash demanded as the two Rocket grunts hung him from a claw. "We've only come to return the treasures you have stolen!" He sighed as the two grunts disappeared from the room, leaving him, his Rescue Force team, and Brock hanging above the factory floor.

"Looks like we'll be hanging out here for a while..." Eevee sighed.

"Maybe not..." Brock suggested as he waited for Pikachu to undo the bindings on his hands. "I'll alert my team, then tell Terra about our plan to escape." With that, he fumbled for his communicator. "Mayday, Rescue Force! Fire Red is snuffed!"

"Huh?" Ash was confused.

"That's my distress call if I wind up captured...this tells them that I'm in trouble and need their help." Brock explained, but he was interrupted by the voice of Vulpix. "We're coming, Fire Red...We have the treasures too..."

"Hurry if you can!" Brock answered, but was cut off by the whir of the claws moving. "I think we're moving..."

"We are..." Torchic replied, swallowing hard as she looked down at the omnious drop to the floor below. "Not to mention it's a long way down..." She was about to say more when the claws suddenly came to a stop. "Now we've stopped." she reported as Vulpix lead her teammates around the corner to a spot overlooking the group of claws.

"Hurry and undo my bindings, somebody!" Ash begged as he fruitlessly struggled to work his hands free of the ropes.

"Hold still..." and Vulpix aimed a fireball at the ropes binding Ash's hands. "GLOWING EMBER!"

Ash winced as the ropes fell to the ground, but flexed his hands in relief. "Thanks, Vulpix...the next question is, why are we straddled like prizes in a crane game?"

"See that funnel up ahead?" Lotad asked, pointing out a funnel in the distance. "That's where the ingredients for PokeChow are dropped into the machinery...so I think the Rockets may be trying to turn you into PokeChow!"

"Then I may have an idea--" Ash started, but was cut off as the claws began to move again. "Uh oh..."

"There's another catwalk inside the area with all the machinery..." Vulpix explained as she and her teammates hurried down a small stairwell.

"What was your idea?" Treecko started. "I kinda would've liked to know..."

"Well..." Ash started, but suddenly felt the claw holding him give way! "Oh no..."

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" everyone screamed as they hurtled down the funnel, where they landed on a conveyor belt with a thud.

Pikachu was the first to surface from the heap. "Rough landing..." he commented as he brushed himself off

"Well, my idea was--" Ash started, but suddenly gasped when he saw several knifes up ahead. "Heads up, Rescue Force!" Everyone scrambled out of the way to avoid the giant knives one after the other. Once the conveyer belt had safely passed the knifes, the Force huddled close together again.

"That was close..." Brock commented. "Whatever your plan is, Ash, I'll relay to Terra."

"Okay...' Ash started. "My plan...is for Treecko to extend a vine up to the catwalk up there..." he explained, pointing out the catwalk Vulpix and her comrades were standing on. "and then have the rest of us climb up."

"That works!" Brock smiled as he reached for his communicator. "Fire Red calling Leaf Green, over."

"This is Leaf Green." Terra replied. "Any news?"

'Well, my plan went horribly wrong, and Ash's team and I got captured..." Brock started.

"Oh no!" Terra cried. "How are you going to escape?"

"I'm getting to that..." Brock explained, but was suddenly cut off by the low roar of an oncoming wall of water. "Just a sec, I think we're about to go down the drain!" he yelped as a surge of water came racing down the conveyor belt, taking the Rescue Force with it!

"AAAAAAUUUUUGGGGHHHH!" everyone screeched as the water swirled them about, ultimately taking them down a drain, where they emerged on the next conveyor belt in a puddle.

"You still there, Leaf Green?" Brock asked, still shivering from the cold water.

"I hear you, Fire Red..." Terra replied.

"Okay..." Brock continued. "My team is on a catwalk overlooking where we are..." he explained, gesturing to a catwalk overhead, where Vulpix and the rest of Brock's team were waiting. "Treecko's going to make a vine that leads up to the catwalk, then the rest o us are going to climb up and escape. Hopefully nothing will go wrong this time."

"Knowing Murphy's Law..." Terra giggled. "Something probably will go wrong. Leaf Green out."

"Fire Red out."

Ash turned to Treecko. "Well, Treecko, you know what to do: Fire a vine up to Vulpix, and she'll tie it to the catwalk, so it won't snap."

"Roger...ENERGY VINE!" Treecko hurled a glowing vine up to Vulpix, who quickly tied it to the catwalk. "All right!" Everyone climb up!" he called.

One by one, the Rescue Force members climbed up to the catwalk, being extra careful not to make the fragile vine wobble. Once everyone was safely on the catwalk, Ash turned to Vulpix. "Now what?"

Vulpix slung the bag with the treasures over one shoulder before pointing out an open doorway leading outside. "Everyone follow me!" With that, the Force ran out into the night, relieved that they had not turned into PokeChow.

_Back at Pewter Base..._

"Guys! You made it!" Terra cried as both Rescue Force teams returned. "They just showed a report on the news just now that the Diamond Jirachi and all the other treasures are safe and sound, thanks to you guys!"

"Thank you so much for helping us out..." Brock smiled as he climbed off of Sora.

"Anytime!" Ash replied, embracing his friend. "A Rescue Force team is always meant to help out, even if it's another team."

"How can we ever repay you?" Terra agreed as she too hugged Ash.

"You still owe me an encore!" Torchic interjected, gesturing to the piano.

"All right, Torchic, I didn't forget about your encore..." Brock laughed as he settled before the piano. Ash led the clapping as another ragtime tune filled the air...

END MISSION 3


	10. Chapter 10

Mission 4: Spooky Night in Pokemon Manor! (part 1)

"Morning, you guys..." Ash smiled as he brought breakfast to Pikachu, Eevee, and Treecko. "Where's Torchic and Mudkip?"

"Last I checked, they were upstairs watching movies and reading Eevee's Ichigo Mew mysteries..." Treecko began. "I'm not sure if they're still doing that, though."

"So THAT's where my latest collection went!" Eevee smiled. "I've been wanting to read my new Ichigo Mew collection for a week now, but you guys have been reading it before I can read it!" With that, she reached for a few colored pencils and started on drawing the distinctive long pink hair of Ichigo Mew.

"Maybe the rest of us want to read it too!" Pikachu protested, but was cut off by the phone. "Ash, telephone!"

"I got it..." Ash hurried into his office and began: "Good morning, Pokemon Rescue Force...hi, Misty!...mm-hmm...aww...oh...we'll be glad to help!...okay, we'll meet you there...see ya!" A few moments later, the alarm began to ring, sending the Rescue Force scrambling into the entryway. Torchic and Mudkip slid down the rescue pole and followed Pikachu aboard Swellow.

"Why did the alarm have to go off in the middle of 'The Aristomeowths'? Mudkip complained. "They were getting ready to sing 'Everybody Wants to Be a Meowth'! I like that song!"

"You'll get to hear it later, okay?" Ash assured Mudkip as Swellow took off into the sunshine.

_Several hours later..._

"Of all the times it had to rain, why did it decide to rain now?" Swellow complained as he soared through a raging storm.

"Yeah..we're getting wet!" Pikachu complained as he looked for something to shield him from the rain.

"Good thing I still remember most of the magic Rukario taught me!" Ash smiled as he formed a greenish light in his hands. "Shining light, protect from all directions! Shield!". At this, a shield made of green light appeared around the Rescue Force, shielding them from the rain.

"Now I can read without my Ichigo Mew book getting wet!" Eevee joyfully cried as she fished the book from her bag and started to read: "The beast bared its flickering fangs, and reared up to its full height, but Ichigo Mew was not afraid..."

"Heads up!" Swellow called as he veered out of the way of a low tree branch.

Eevee obediently ducked under the branch, then resumed reading. "The young detectives stood their ground, daring the Shadow Entei to do its worst."

At this, a flash of lightning lit up the sky, scaring Pikachu! "Uh, Eevee..." he started, but was cut off by having to duck under another branch.

"Not now, this is the good part!" Eevee hissed.

"But it's storming out, and I don't know how much longer the shield's going to last." Pikachu protested as he huddled close to Ash for warmth.

"Storm? What storm?" Eevee asked, but was cut off by a deafening thunderclap!

"THAT storm!" Torchic yelled. "You've been reading this whole time, haven't you?"

"Uh guys?" Swellow interrupted, silencing the escalating argument. "I'm afraid we're going to have to find a place to stop and rest until the worst of this storm blows over."

"Good idea..." Ash smiled. "Any sign of a place to rest?"

"Well..." Swellow glanced around for a moment, surveying the lights of Cerulean City in the distance, and the spires of a majestic mansion a little closer to him. "Cerulean City's too far away, so how would stopping at this mansion sound?"

"That's fine." Ash replied, remembering to duck as Swellow flew inside a cracked window. About that same time, the shield began to flicker as the Force climbed off of Swellow and onto the silk carpet.

Eevee glanced around the mansion for a moment, admiring its exquisite decor. "This house is great!" she announced.

"Oh?" Pikachu was interested.

"It looks just like the mansion in the mystery I was reading earlier, 'The Case of the Swelling Dwelling'" Eevee replied. At the second, an eerie howl pierced the air, scaring everyone!

"Oh no! What if that was the Shadow Entei in Eevee's story?" Torchic gasped.

"Don't be silly, you guys...there's no such thing." Ash assured his team. Another howl rang through the hallway, making Torchic shudder in fear. "Or...is there?" he stammered, obviously scared. Just then, the door at the end of the hallway began to thump, as if someone--or someTHING--was trying to break down the door.

"It's gonna get us!" Pikachu screamed. At this, everyone hurried to find a place to hide: Ash and Swellow ducked into a closet, Treecko, Torchic, and Eevee dove into the toe of a suit of armor, and Mudkip dragged Pikachu into a bucket of water lying in a corner.

Ash winced as he heard the door burst open, followed by panicked Growlithe barks, then the door slamming shut again. "Okay, so it wasn't a Shadow Entei after all..." he assured Swellow. With that, he peeked outside. Treecko opened the toe he, Torchic, and Eevee had been hiding in, and Mudkip and Pikachu surfaced from the water, Pikachu gasping for breath.

"Okay, guys..." Ash began. "The coast is--" but he was suddenly cut off by the door thumping again. "--not clear!" he almost screamed as he ducked back into the closet. Treecko closed up the armor toe again, and Pikachu held his breath again as he and Mudkip dove underwater.

Ash winced as he heard the door burst open again, followed by various yelling, screaming, pushing, shoving, and crashing of things being knocked over. When all the noise had quieted, he peeked out. "Okay guys...now the coast is clear."

"About time..." Pikachu grumbled as he dried himself off.

"Perfect timing too..." Swellow started as the Force climed aboard him again. "The rain's calmed down a bit."

"Psst...over here." said a voice.

Ash glanced at the floor and saw the Growlithe from earlier nuzzling his legs. "Well...how can I help, little guy?" he asked as he invited the Growlithe aboard Swellow.

"We've got to get out of here...the master of the house doesn't like Pokemon coming in the house." the Growlithe explained as Swellow took off into the rain again.

"Then what were you doing there?" Treecko was curious.

"Looking for something very important to my master and I." the Growlithe explained. "Misty and her Rescue Force team are helping us find it..."

"Well, we were on our way to help Misty and her team." Ash explained, "but the storm sidetracked us...know where she is?"

"She's staying with my master in that house over there..." the Growlithe replied, pointing out a house in the distance. Swellow nodded, and flew off towards the house, only pausing to circle in for a landing before the front stoop. Ash climbed off of Swellow, calmly approached the stoop and knocked.

"Well, who could that be..." a familiar voice asked as Misty peeked ouside. "Ash, you made it!" she smiled. "Come on in and dry off." she smiled as a Silver haired girl made a spot for Ash at the dinner table, where she and Misty were about to have dinner. "Ame and I were about to have dinner when you arrived." she explained.

"Please, help yourself..." the silver haired giel smiled as she set a plate piled high with meat, rice, and mushrooms before Ash. "I made enough for all of us to at least have seconds." She then turned to the Growlithe. "Did you find it, Kasen?" The Growlithe just hung his head, dejected. "No? Don't worry, Kasen...once we find Grandpa's will, Pokemon Manor will be ours."

"Let my team leader fill you in on the mission." Misty explained as she invited a Togetic next to her.

"All right, Ash...here's the deal." Togetic began. "The silver haired girl that served you...that's Ame; one of Misty's closest friends...her grandfather was a renowned explorer that built Pokemon Manor--the mansion you see in the distance--as a summer home."

"Go on..." Ash beckoned in between bites.

"Ame was only 14 when her grandfather passed on, but in his will, he bequeathed the manor to her, and that she would become its mistress when she turned 18." Togetic continued. "The day before Ame's 18th birthday, Team Rocket appeared and claimed they had the rights to the mansion. It was decided that if Ame can't find the will in 30 days, the house goes to Team Rocket."

"If only I could get back inside and find the will..." Kasen mused as he joined Ash, Misty, Ame, and Togetic at the table. "But those two Rockets that occupy the house and their Meowth are always there."

"Why don't we scare them away so we can come in?" Eevee suggested.

"Scare them?" Misty was curious.

"Yeah! It worked for Ichigo Mew and her friends in 'The Case of the Ghost Next Door'" Eevee explained, thumbing her mystery book to the appropriate page for Misty and Togetic to see.

Ash smiled. "Eevee, you're a genius!" He motioned for the two teams to come closer as the combined teams began discussing their plans...

_To Be Continued..._


	11. Chapter 11

Mission 4: Spooky Night in Pokemon Manor! (part 2)

"Everyone here?" Misty asked as she waited for her Rescue Force team--Togetic, Marill, Staryu, Golduck, and Seel--to meet with Ash, his team, and Kasen in the foyer of Pokemon Manor. Once everyone had assembled, the two teams huddled in a closet--the same closet that Ash and Swellow had hidden in earlier.

"Okay, we're ready for the big scare..." Ash bagan. "So, here's the deal: "We sneak into the room behind Team Rocket's bedroom and make them think it's haunted. I can do a good spooky laugh..."

"Kasen's got the howling covered..." Pikachu added.

"I'll scream!" Misty volunteered. "I can do a good scream!"

"I know..." Ash sighed, making Eevee and Torchic giggle. "Anyway, Eevee can make the Persian portrait in the bedroom shake..."

"Pikachu and I can open and close the drawers on the dresser!" Torchic volunteered. "That way, those Rockets will think someTHING is opening and closing the drawers!"

"Mudkip found a bellows by the fireplace..." Treecko began. "so with some help from Swellow, we'll make some whistling wind."

"While you guys are scaring the Rockets..." Togetic interjected. my team will doll Kasen up like a Houndour spirit...we already have the supplies." With that, she gestured to piles of fake bones, black fur tonic, fake chains, and spirit glitter gathered by her. "That'll be the grand finale to the spook-fest!"

"Sounds good!" Ash smiled.

"Rescue Forces, move out!" Misty commended. She watched as everyone hurried to their positions in the spare room overlooking the main bedroom...

_A few minutes later..._

"All set, everyone?" Ash asked as a two-way split image of his team appeared on his communicator--Treecko, Mudkip, and Swellow were positioned on the windowsill outside, which was thankfully under a small awning. Treecko and Mudkip manned the bellows, while Swellow hovered overhead, ready to unleash a few Gusts at the curtains.

"Sapphire, Emerald, Aquamarine ready!" Treecko replied.

"Remember, the code to start the wind efect is 'WINDY'" Ash explained. "Misty will say that as part of her screaming routine, so listen for that, okay?"

"The code is 'WINDY'...got it!" Mudkip replied.

Next, Ash checked in with the two members hiding in the drawers. "Torchic, Pikachu; you guys ready?"

"Topaz ready!" Pikachu replied from his drawer.

"Ruby ready!" Torchic agreed.

"Diamond ready!" Eevee called as she carefully jiggled the portrait.

"Okay..." Ash smiled, but then noticed Jessie, James, and Meowth walking in the room, all wearing night clothes. "Everyone, quiet!" He listened as Meowth chattered on to his human companions...

"Just tink..." Meowth smiled as he curled into a ball on the bedpost. "Da boss will give us a promotion for sure when dese tirty days are over, as tanks for givin' him such a beautiful house!"

"Too bad we have to wait twenty-nine more..." Jessie smiled as she flicked off her light. "Good night, everyone..."

"Night, Jessie..." James yawned as he rolled over and dozed off.

"Night, you guys..." Meowth smiled as he too dozed off.

"Eevee...now." Ash whispered. Eevee nodded and begin shaking the portrait, jarring the Rockets awake! Eevee couldn't resist giggling at the Rockets' panicked reactions. 

"Dah!" Meowth yelped when he saw two drawers seemingly opening and closing on their own. "Da dresser's alive!"

"MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA! YOU CANNOT ESCAPE!" Ash proclaimed in his best "spooky monster" voice as a crash of thunder rumbled outside, causing the three Rockets scramble to find a place to hide! James fled under the blanket, while Meowth hurried to a hidden compartment in the bed's canopy. Jessie fled to a closet, only pausing to peek outside every so often.

"This is it, we're done for! " Meowth shuddered. "Some monster's out to get us!"

"The real estate agent didn't say this place was haunted!" James commented from under the covers. 

"Well, we know tings couldn't get any woise..." Meowth started, but was cut off by an eerie scream!

"Wind, punish these evildoers for their deeds!" Misty commanded in her best spooky voice. "WINDY!" As if on cue, the curtains began to billow out, and wind began to blow. At this, Jessie and Meowth joined James under the covers.

Ash smiled as his team rejoined him and Misty in the spare room. "Great work, you guys!"

"You did great too!" Torchic smiled. "I didn't know you could do a good scary voice!"

"I've had practice." Ash smiled as he watched Kasen, now in disguise as a Ghost Houndour, chased the Rockets around the room and out into the hallway!

Togetic watched as Ash and the others exited the spare room. "Well done, guys...and Kasen's doing great!" No sooner had she said that, did she see the disguise began to fall apart. "Uh oh...Ash, you still know magic, right?"

"Course I do..." Ash replied. "Why?"

"You might want to cast a spell on the Rockets before they turn Kasen into sushi." Togetic cautioned, pointing out James about to slice Kasen with a sword.

"I have just the spell..." and Ash formed a yellow light in his hands. "Mindless, spiritless, hear the immutable beat... Paralyze!" At this, thunderbolts rained from Ash's hands, paralyzing all three Rockets! James' sword fell to the floor as Kasen, now undisguised ran to meet the others.

"Nice spell, Ash!" Misty commented as the group ran down another hallway...only to come to a stop at a mirror! "Uh oh..."

"It's a dead end!" Pikachu agreed. "I don't know how long Ash's Paralyze spell will last..."

"It may not be a dead end..." Eevee began as she fished her Ichigo Mew mystery book from her bag. "In 'The Case of the Wick of the Wax', Ichigo Mew found a secret passage hidden in a mirror like this." With that, she hurried over to the frame and pushed against it with all her strength, but nothing happened.

"Hey, did Rukario teach you summoning magic?" Misty asked.

"Hmm..." Ash thought for a moment, then remembered the Summon Balls in his bag! "Yeah, he did...and to summon him if I needed his help." With that, Ash reached for a blue and black Poke Ball and heaved it into the air! "Open the doors to where power lives! Rukario!" At this, a bright rainbow light spewed from the ball, which formed into the magical wolf-like Pokemon, Rukario.

"Sir Ash...how may I serve you this evening?" Rukario asked.

"Could you check for a passageway behind this mirror?" Ash asked. Rukario nodded, and snapped, making the mirror's surface disappear, revealing an entrance to a passageway.

"It worked!" Eevee smiled.

"Indeed, there was a passage here." Rukario agreed. "If you ever need my help again, do not hsitate to summon me." With that, Rukario disappered inside the summon Ball. Ash picked it up and followed everyone inside...once everyone had entered, the mirror returned to its normal state.

_Inside the passage..._

"Wow, a secret passage!" Eevee was enthralled by the fact the group was in a secret passage. "This is just like the one Ichigo Mew found in--"

"Can you please stop this Ichigo Mew stuff?" Treecko snapped, annoyed by Eevee's constant references to Ichigo Mew mysteries.

"Miss Ichigo's got us this far, so don't complain." Ash assured Treecko. "Although...where could the will be hidden? And where will this passage take us?"

'Don't you worry! Eevee Mew is on the case!" Eevee smiled, putting on an Ichigo Mew wig for emphasis.

"Not again..." Pikachu sighed. Treecko groaned in agreement.

Eevee, meanwhile, was explaining the nuances of Ichigo Mew to Misty and her team. "Now, whenever Ichigo Mew an her friends want to find something, the first thing they do is find some clues!" she explained, grabbing a magnifying glass from her bag. "Follow me!"

"How are we going to find the will if all Eevee wants to do is walk around?" Mudkip complained as the group walked off down the passage.

_An hour or so later..._

"Hmm...I don't know why we haven't found anything yet..." Eevee began as she continued scanning the ground for clues. "Secret passages usually have all kinds of clues!"

"Does this count as a clue?" Mudkip asked, showing Eevee a nail.

"No, it's only a nail." Eevee replied.

"How bout this?" Treecko suggested as he dragged a chain over for Eevee to inspect.

"No, that's only a chain." Eevee replied.

"Hey, Eevee-go! Is THIS a clue?" Pikachu asked, pointing at some cobwebs in a corner.

"No, that's--A SPINARAK!" Eevee yelped as a Spinarak descended into the magnifying glass, making it appear to be the size of an Ariados to Eevee! Pikachu howled with laughter as he walked, pleased that he had scared Eevee.

"Hey, guys! I think I've found something!" Ash called from a little far down the passage. Pikachu led the others to the spot was Ash was studying an inscription. "It says 'Bring light to the darkness...'

"Could that mean...that candleholder over there?" Torchic suggested, pointing out a candleholder nearby the inscription.

"What do you think, Ichigo?" Ash asked, playing along with Eevee's Ichigo Mew routine.

"Well..." Eevee thought for a moment, then consulted her mystery book. "I'll read, and you do what I say, all right?"

"Sounds good..." and Ash grabbed the candleholder...

"Ichigo slowly pulled on the candleholder..." Eevee read, prompting Ash to grab the candleholder. "and opened a secret door!"

"It worked!" Misty smiled as part of the wall opened like a door.

"Being very careful to side to one side to avoid the trap door..." Eevee read. As if on cue, a trapdoor appeared under Ash, but Misty pulled him out before he could fall. "You okay?" Eevee asked as Misty helped Ash to his feet.

"I'm fine, but you could use a course in speed reading!" Ash joked, causing everyone to laugh...

_To Be Continued..._


	12. Chapter 12

Mission 4: Spooky Night in Pokemon Manor! (part 3)

"Where are we?" Pikachu asked as the wall closed behind him.

"I think we're in some kind of office." Misty explained as she glanced around the room, bemused by the bookshelves lining the walls--and the fact a familiar silver haired girl sat before a PC, typing something.

"Ame?" Ash was surprised.

"Surprise." Ame smiled as she turned away from the screen for a moment. "I'm amazed you guys found my secret spot...I came here to finish up work on the latest Ichigo Mew collection."

Eevee's eyes widened. "You mean..."

"Yeah...I'm the one that writes Ichigo's adventures." Ame replied. "Grandpa created Ichigo Mew many years ago as a magazine serial series...and he would read his lastest stories when I was younger...so I'm carrying on the tradition of writing new stories for a new generation to enjoy his work."

"Wow!" Pikachu was impressed.

Eevee, meanwhile, was examining various objects in the room. "Here's a fireplace poker...just like in 'The Case of the Fire Spirit'...and here's a doctor's bag...just like in 'The Case of the Medic's Curse'..." She then hopped on Ame's desk. "Wonder what the one you're writing's called?"

"I'm calling it 'The Case of the Phantom Poet'." Ame replied as she resumed typing. "I'm not spoiling anything though!"

"Hate to interrupt your chat, Eevee, but could you help us find the will?" Ash asked as he shoved a few boxes aside.

"Hmm..." Treecko noticed a piece of paper embedded in a book. "What's this?" After tugging on it a bit, he eased it out from the pages and studied it...then his eyes widened! "Ash! I found it!" he called, proudly displaying the will as proof.

"Nice work, Treecko!" Torchic replied as she joined Treecko on the shelf.

"Great...now to get this will out of here before the Rockets find it." Misty smiled. "My team...start packing up Ame's belongings..."

"Got it!" and Togetic led Misty's team outside into the rain.

"And our resident mage will defend the will while we take it out." Pikachu smiled, winking at Ash as Ame saved her story...

_Later..._

"Okay, guys...keep quiet." Ash whispered as the gang exited the passage and started down the hall.

"But what if--" Mudkip started.

"Stop worrying!" Treecko shushed Mudkip. "You always worry too much..."

No sooner had the gang rounded a corner, did Jessie snatch the will! "I'll take this, thank you!" she gloated as she took the will over to a candle holder and began to burn it. "Now Ame will never know, and the house is ours!"

"Oh yeah?" Ash taunted as he formed a blue light in his hands."Freezing wind, speak of forgotten truths! Blizzara!" At this, snow and ice rained from Ash's hands, freezing the candles...and Jessie. Treecko grabbed the slighly charred will and took off through the snow...

"THUNDER BLAZE!" Pikachu fired a thunderbolt as James appeared in the hall, knocking him into Jessie! Kasen leapt onto the Rockets and began scratching them as Torchic and Mudkip dealt with Meowth.

Ash, meanwhile, fled the battle and caught up to Treecko inside a closet. "Here...let me heal the will." Treecko offered the burnt edge to Ash, who formed a white light in his hands. "Life's refreshing breeze, heal from the sky! Cure!" At this, the burnt corner returned to normal.

"Let's take this to Officer Jenny." Treecko began as he and Ash started for the door...

_The next morning..._

"Thank you so much..." Kasen smiled as Ash and his team climbed aboard Swellow. "Thanks to you, Pokemon Manor is ours, just like it was bequeathed!"

'If only Grandpa could've seen this day..." Ame mused. "He would thank you personally."

"Our pleasure." Ash replied.

"Before you leave though...I have a gift for Eevee." and Ame presented a book to Eevee. "This is the latest Ichigo Mew collection--I autographed the first copy as thanks for your help."

"Thanks!" Eevee smiled as she began leafing through the pages...

END MISSION 4


	13. Chapter 13

Mission 5: Pokemon Egg-stravaganza! (part 1)

"Guys?" Ash asked as he walked into one of the bedrooms, where Pikachu and Eevee lay, asleep. "Can I trust you two to go pick up a few things at the Pokemart?"

"Now?" Eevee complained as she crawled out of bed. "But I'm tired..."

"Come on, it's only for a few things." Ash assured Eevee as he led Pikachu and Eevee downstairs, and placed them aboard Swellow. Once Pikachu had gotten comfortable, Ash handed a piece of paper to him. "Here's the list of things I need."

"All right!" Pikachu replied, motioning to Swellow. "The Pokemart..." Swellow nodded, and flew off into the morning sun.

_At the Pokemart..._

"Let's see here..." Pikachu mused as he consulted Ash's list. "Potions...Pokechow..." he started, but was unsure of the next few items. "Eevee? What else did Ash say to get?"

"I think he mentioned..." Eevee started, when she heard a crash. "Huh?"

"Come on!" Pikachu led Eevee into the egg and dairy aisle, where they discovered an egg carton with two eggs missing. "In here!"

After a few tense seconds, Pikachu heard frantic screaming from outside. "Oh dear! This is no time for hide and seek..." Just then, Pikachu and Eevee found themselves looking at a Spearow, who jerked back in surprise. "Oh!" Pikachu and Eevee calmly waved a hello, which seemed to assure the Spearow everything was all right. "Have you two seen any Spearow eggs around here?"

"Um, these are all Pidgey eggs." Eevee explained. The Spearow just stared at Eevee, confused.

"You know..." and Pikachu began imitating a Pidgey. "Pidgey! Pidgey! Pidgey!" Just then, he noticed some Pokemart staff approaching them, intent on catching the Spearow. Pikachu led Eevee back to their waiting items, all the while mindful of the struggle a few aisles over.

Just as the twosome went through the checkout lane, the Spearow caught up to them. "I appriciate your help...but I really need to find my lost egg!"

"We're your mon!" Pikachu smiled as he flashed his Rescue Force badge before the Spearow. "We're part of the Pokemon Rescue Force--it's our job to help people and Pokemon!"

"Just tell our master everything--and we'll try our best to help." Eevee added as she finished loading the items onto Swellow. "Come on!" The Spearow hesitantly climbed aboard, and Swellow took off for home...

_Back at the base..._

"Ash, we're home!" Eevee called as Swellow landed back at the base.

"Thank you, you guys..." Ash started as he emerged from the office. "I'll take these..." he started as he unloaded the items from Swellow, until he found the Spearow looking up at him. "Oh! Hi there! How can we help you?"

The Spearow climbed off of Swellow and settled on the couch before Ash. "Well--" she started...

"Wait..." Ash interrupted. "Let me get the rest of the Force in here..." and with that, he whistled, then waited as he heard footsteps up above. "Here they come..." he assured the Spearow as Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip slid down the rescue pole and joined Ash on the couch.

"What's going on?" Treecko asked.

"This Spearow needs our help..." Ash explained, motioning for the Spearow to begin.

"Well first of all, let me introduce myself..." the Spearow began. "My name is Sora...I live with my mate, Kaze, in Pallet Grove, not far from Viridian City. You see, with spring in the air, Kaze and I began planning for our first clutch of eggs..."

"Mm-hmm..." Treecko nodded. "Spring just started a few days ago." he commented, pointing out the calandar.

"Anyway..." Sora continued. "Two days ago, I laid my first egg...Kaze had gone to find our dinner for the evening, and I had gone down to the stream to get a drink...until I heard a hiss, one that sounded like fire."

"You mean like a hot air balloon?" Torchic asked.

"Yes!" Sora smiled. "I saw a Meowth balloon descend close to the nest, and it stole the egg! I tried to stop them, but all I could do was hold on...I held on for as long is I could...until the balloon drop me on top of a Pokemart...I checked every Pokemart in the area, hoping that our first child hadn't become breakfast for a trainer. That's how I met these two." she concluded, gesturing to Pikachu and Eevee.

Ash was silent for a moment as he pondered Sora's story. "Well, Sora...the Meowth balloon you described sounds like it would belong to Team Rocket..."

"Team Rocket?" Sora gasped. "What would they want with an egg?"

"Sometimes Team Rocket goes after the silliest things for their plots..." Treecko replied.

"Easy, Treecko..." Ash interuppted. "We're not entirely sure it's Team Rocket's doing yet." He turned to Sora. "Tell you what, Sora...if you'll meet up with us at the edge of Pallet Grove tomorrow morning, we'll search together...how's that sound?"

"What a wonderful idea!" Sora was elated. "Thank you all for helping me out...Kaze will be so glad to hear that you're helping me!"

"Any time, Sora!" Ash called after Sora as she departed the base. "Any time!"

_To Be Continued..._


	14. Chapter 14

Mission 5: Pokemon Egg-stravaganza! (part 2)

_The next morning..._

"Any sign if them yet, Kaze?" Sora asked as the two Spearows perched on a tree just outside the grove. The male Spearow said nothing, but kept a watchful eye on the horizon for any sign of a Swellow. "They said they'd come on their Swellow."

"I know, Sora." Kaze calmly replied. "You're doing a brave thing by searching for our egg...but I'm worried about the possibility of you getting captured."

"Captured?" Sora swallowed hard at this.

"Even with the combined might of the Pokemon Rescue Force helping you out, there's still a chance those evil humans could capture you." Kaze explained. "If that happens, tell the Rescue Force to look after the egg in our stead."

"All right..." and the pair nuzzled ach other one last time before Swellow appeared on the horizon.

"Be careful, my love!" Kaze called as his mate climbed aboard Swellow.

"I will, Kaze!" Sora replied as Swellow flew off above the treetops...

_Later..._

"Haven't we found any clues?" Sora sighed as she slumped next to Pikachu. "We've been flying around for hours!"

"I know you're frustrated..." Ash started, but was frantically interuppted by Torchic frantically pointing out two more winged figures on the horizon. "What is it, Torchic?"

"Two Pidgeottos...and they don't look friendly!" Torchic shrieked as the two Pidgeottos dove at the group! Ash pulled Swellow out of the way, making the Pidgeottos miss!

"Missed me!" Eevee taunted, sticking out her tongue at the Pidgeottos. The Pidgeottos just circled back around and charged at the group again!

"Way to go, Eevee...now they're coming back at us!" Mudkip grumbled as Ash veered Swellow out of the way again!

"SWELLOW TWISTER!" Swellow callled as he summoned a gust of wind to throw at the Pidgeottos!

"THUNDER BLAZE!" Pikachu fired a few thunderbolts into the wind gusts, shocking the Pidgeottos as they charged at the group, stunning them long enough for the group to get away...

"Nice shot!" Treecko smiled as the group approached a mansion, where a blonde haired female grunt was being escorted inside. "I think that's our egg-napper..." he smiled as Ash led Swellow behind a tree.

"Welcome home, Tama..." a butler started as he helped to get the coat off of the girl.

"The Spearow egg...did you get it?" the girl asked as she walked into a display room filled with various Pokemon eggs, except for one spot reserved for a Spearow egg.

"Yes, Sir Giovanni shipped it here while you were out." the butler replied, handing the girl a familiar egg. "Is there another egg you're missing?"

"Boy, this Tama girl sure likes eggs!" Torchic noted as she glanced around the hall, taking note of the various egg decor in the room.

"I'll say..." Treecko agreed as Tama accepted a drink from a servant.

"Odd...a Rocket that collects eggs..." Ash was puzzled. "I've never encountered a Rocket that stole stuff just for the sake of looking at it..."

"Giovanni did on that mission in Pewter City, remember?" Mudkip added.

"That was different...Tama just steals stuff to look at just because." Ash explained. "On the Pewter mission, the stolen object had special powers that Giovanni couldn't use...Tama just steals ordinary stuff to further her own ends." He was about to say more when he noticed Sora creeping up to the pedestal where the Spearow egg was being held. "Sora! NO!"

"Come to mama..." Sora started, but was cut off by a siren ringing! "Oh no!" She frantically tossed the egg to Ash. "Take the egg, get it out of here, quickly!" she screeched as she fought off two servants.

"We can't leave you here!" Ash protested as Sora continued to struggle.

"Just go!" Sora screeched as she continued to fight. Ash and the Force reluctantly turned to leave as Sora and the mansion's denizens battled...

_Back at the base..._

"Great, we're stuck egg-sitting after the mother Spearow stubbronly refused to flee a battle she knew she had no chance of winning." Treecko complained as Ash slid into his console in the office.

"That's why I'm getting Brock's advice on how to run the old incubator I found in the attic." Ash explained. "We'll see if we can make it hatch and raise the chick ourselves." With that, he dialed Brock's code number. "Master Jewel calling Fire Red..."

"This is Fire Red..." Brock's voice replied. "What's happening in Pallet?"

"Well, our latest mission involves helping a mother Spearow find her lost egg." Ash explained. "We helped her search, and came to the mansion of a very wealthy Rocket named Tama; who loves to collect eggs."

"Weird...usually Rockets collect rare and magic artifacts." Brock was also perplexed.

"I know." Ash replied. "Any ideas on how we can raise the egg? We managed to recover it, but the mother, Sora, is presumed captured; and we were going to care for it in her stead until we can rescue her..."

_To Be Continued..._


End file.
